Newcastle 2-1 Man United

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Newcastle overcame yet more refereeing controversy to record a fantastic late win against Manchester United under the lights at a rocking St James' Park.

In a season in which league wins are now probably more important in terms of maintaining momentum for the cups (and perhaps finishing above our friends from down the road), rather than troubling the European spots, this was an absolute barnstormer of a performance.

Playing well (particularly Gordon up front - is he starting to properly grow into the role?) and at least shading the first half, the game exploded into life when Ramsey, on a yellow card, burst into the box and knocked the ball around the keeper.

As Lammens spread himself, Ramsey launched over him and out of the way, perhaps taking a slight knock to the foot in the process, and skidded onto his back as the ball went out of play.

Before play could resume, the ever lovable inferior Bruno (he of the red persuasion) began screaming in the referee's face.

Compelled by Fernandes's clearly cogent argument, the ref agreed that skidding onto his backside was a yellow card offence for Ramsey, and duly gave him his second yellow and marching orders.

Once more we're on the end of a decision universally panned after the fact, but once more we seemed to use this as fuel.

This was helped by Gordon storming into the box two minutes later and being felled by Fernandes before confidently dispatching his NINTH penalty of the season, and 15th goal in total.

Having played well over the three extra minutes allotted we looked good value for our lead at half time, but of course that's forgetting the ancient football law of playing until Man U score - which they duly did in the ninth minute of three added on, at which time half time was allowed.

With Willock on after the break and looking lively, and Trippier rolling back the years, we refused to sit back and park the bus, taking the game to them and dominating.

And when Will 'Chaos' Osula was brought on ahead of Wissa with five to play, we looked like we were still going to try and proactively counter their increasing attacks.

In the 90th minute, Osula won the ball superbly outside his own box, played it back to Trippier and turned and bolted up the right touchline before writing his name into St James' folklore with a sublime goal.

Trippier looked up and played a perfectly weighted pass down the line, which Osula just kept in before almost tripping himself over (in prime Lomano LuaLua style), cutting inside, executing a mesmerising sequence of stepovers before blasting in a curling shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the goal.

Cue absolute bedlam, alongside the genetic fear that we would sit deeper and deeper and inevitably concede.

Today, however, we held firm, giving Eddie Howe and his team the perfect start to a daunting run of six games in 18 days which now continues with Man City (h), Barcelona (h), Chelsea (a), Barcelona (a), mackems (h).

There's not even time to be tired.